Reconcilable Differences
by Amanda N. Lupin
Summary: After a miracle surgery, can Ambrose come to terms with his other half before he loses her? "I'm not saying he had it all right, but you could stand to learn a bit from him. You might find he might not have been so foolish afterall."
1. Chapter 1

He was forgetting something, or maybe he was remembering, or both, stars what a headache. All he knew was that he hated seeing her like this, and the feelings of hopelessness, of watching her struggle to fill a role she had never asked for seemed fuzzily familiar. He was certain, though he couldn't have said when or how, that he had seen her cry before, and just as certain he had no more relished the sight of it then, than he did now.

"DG?" She jumped as his hand came to rest uncertainly on her shoulder, but her hand immediately raced to cover and clasp his. She tried to wipe her tears, but spinning the swing enough to face him they were only replaced with still more. God she wished he wouldn't call her that. "Your Highness?" Or that, she thought, bristling. She didn't want the stiff, always proper queen's advisor and inventor. She wanted her Glitch, not Ambrose. She never knew how to act, what to say with him. He was just another reminder of what a failure she was as a royal. Besides, Glitch didn't need to remember their past to love her, Ambrose couldn't let go of it enough to. God maybe ignorance really was bliss. "I'm sorry." Ambrose could not be sure what he was apologizing for, but he was sure to have done something to have brought about her renewed tears and that deep lingering sorrow in her eyes.

"For what," she replied bluntly. Unable to think of a quick and appropriate response to appease her, he made no reply. DG stood up, shrugging off his hand before turning, strolling away down to the lake.

* * *

Certainly times were indeed a great deal happier now than they had been in annuals, but Ambrose could scarcely recall the last time he had seen her so thoroughly amused. "My Queen," he asked cautiously, interrupting her laughter, thoroughly puzzled. What could possibly be so entertaining?

"I'm sorry Ambrose," she replied, straightening up and composing herself back into a more dignified state. "I never imagined one day I would be counseling you." He nodded, he couldn't have fathomed such a day either, yet here he was. DG had only so lately come back to the O.Z. that he wondered if his Queen could have any more insight, but surely as her mother...

"What is you would have me do, your highness?"

"Well, I should see you stand first." Ambrose looked up from his reverent gaze at her feet, perplexed.

"My Queen, I am your servant. It would not..."

"You have helped to protect and save the lives of both my daughters, and you are friend first. I shall decide what is fitting and proper." Ambrose rose to his feet obediently, blushing slightly, and still trying to avoid her penetrating gaze. "I would have you do what you feel is right. I have no desire, nor is it my place to dictate any more."

"But you are her mother," he protested. Surely she had more to say on the subject than this. She nodded patiently, a somewhat pained expression coming over her features.

"Yes, I am. But I am just becoming reacquainted with the woman I once knew as a child. As I suspect, are you," she softened with a knowing look."

"I cannot reconcile it. I don't know the first place to begin. Sometimes it seems it would have been better for everyone involved if they had never _fixed _me.

"Glitch is still a part of you," the queen consoled gently.

"I know. I have all his memories. I know what he felt, but I... I don't know what it is she wants or expects from me. The last time _I_saw and spoke to her she was a _child_!" She nodded patiently.

"Come, there's something I think it's time you see," she smiled standing and beckoning him follow her. They walked together through the sunlit halls, up countless steps in relative silence before reaching the top of one of the spires. DG & AZ's old rooms. Which after brief inspection, seemed from what he could recall the rare occasions he had seen in them, unchanged. In the midst of reminiscing the queen had procured a small leather-bound book, with shinning purple embossed letters DG calligraphed on its cover. She opened it gently, smiling before handing it to him for his inspection. This was wrong. Was this her diary? Had anyone other than the queen, or DG herself... Suddenly his eyes alighted on his own name, and he could not help but to study it now.

_**Ambrose**_ was written in bright pink, painfully practiced tidy print beneath the sketch of a man with curly black hair and bright brown eyes in what appeared to be a red regimental uniform. He was holding the hand of a young girl with brunette waves and a beautiful crimson dress. They were both smiling, and slightly less tidy scroll fell in beneath it.

_**It was my birthday yesterday. I hope writing my wish doesn't make it not come true, but you can probably guess it anyway. It's been the same as long as I can remember. Mother bought me a new dress for the party. And Ambrose danced with me, he's a good dancer. I felt so pretty. Tutor says that one day Az or I will have mother's job as Queen, our lessons are to help us get ready. He says we will have to marry so we can have a king to help us too. Az says she doesn't need any king's help. But I don't think I want to be queen at all. Every day Tutor, and mother, and father, and Az-they all tell me more rules, more things that princesses cannot do. I hate it! I want to wear pants. Run and explore. I want to play with who I want. Marry who I want. Why does Tutor and Az say I cannot marry an advisor? Why not? I wish he would just take me away from this place with him. We could explore, and go on adventures together. I don't want the crown, Az can have it. I just want Ambrose. Maybe if I could find mother another advisor she wouldn't be mad if I took hers. I want to dance with him always. Could he love me too?**_

Ambrose felt himself draw in a great breath he had not realized he had been holding. True the youngest of the royal family had always seemed to seek him out. Indeed, he could now remember days when she had held his attention and kept his company more than the queen herself did, but he had never thought... But, he thought shutting the book regretfully, fingers tracing over the letters before handing it back to the queen with a sad half-attempt at a smile, what did any of that matter anymore? She was young then, clearly she wanted none of him now. The queen seemed to have returned the diary and watched him thoughtfully, shaking her head as he came out of his revery.

"She has no more desire for my crown now than she did then. She will always be royalty, but only in name, if that is what she chooses. I would not have her resent me for a burden she did not have to bear," the queen smiled softly. "She has always loved you, _all _of you, she just needs the opportunity and time to remember it." The queen had great conviction, but Ambrose couldn't bring himself to believe it. It could not be that simple, and even if she could love him, what could come of it?

"You cannot possibly condone this. A princess... Your daughter with..."

"My dearest and most trusted friend? All I have ever wished for either of them was someone who could make them happy," she smiled fondly.

"But all I've been able to do is make her cry," he protested. The queen her shook her head patiently.

"My dear friend, you have always put such stock in rules, logic and order," she replied softly, smiling sympathetically. "And it has made you a wonderful advisor, but if there was one thing your counterpart had it was faith. Not all of life can be made into some equation or transcribed to paper to be riddled out. To truly live or love, might mean you will look like a fool from time to time, but look at the alternative. To so afraid to look foolish as to never take risks is a lonely path. Glitch may have had his share of naivety, but he was happy. I'm not saying he had it all right, but you could stand to learn a bit from him. You might find he might not have been so foolish afterall."

* * *

"DG hurt?" she laughed slightly, brushing away her tears.

"No Raw," she reassured him. Nothing you can fix anyway, she thought sadly. But no, no more of that today. Today was a special day, not to be wasted on futile tears. She had cried enough, avoided him enough these past few days to hope she could stand being in the same room with him for an evening without becoming her usual river of tears. "It's my birthday," she smiled at Raw. He beamed.

* * *

"Listen up Zipperhead, 'cause I'm not the kinda guy who enjoys repeating himself,"

"I remember," Ambrose muttered, barely suppressing the urge to roll his eyes as Cain stared him down. Or rather, just slightly up, he thought somewhat satisfactorily.

"I don't know what you've done to upset DG these past few days..."

"I haven't done anything!" Ambrose protested, unable to restrain himself.

"Then it sounds to me like you need to do _**something**_, because whatever it is you _are _or _aren't _doing, is wearing her down, and I wanna see a real smile on her face at this party tonight, not those fake ones she's been trying to pass off all week."

"Believe me, so do I."

"Well," he snorted slightly distrusting. " You'd best better, because I'm holding you personally responsible for its presence or absence this evening."

Damn tin man, he thought as he walked away, but he made a good point.

* * *

No amount of pleading or puppy dog eyes could sway her decision, the queen has her heart set on seeing her returned daughter in a dress for this evenings celebration. And truth be told, though she might never admit it, somehow this particular dress didn't offend so much as the countless others. The silk in the fitting that afternoon had felt cool, almost caressing against her skin, the dress worshipped her body's curves, and the deep red was very flattering of her pale complexion and dark hair. Somehow, she thought, admiring it on its hanger now as she brushed her hair for the approaching banquet and ball, it all seemed strangely familiar. A sense of déjà vu accompanying it. A sudden soft knock interrupted her thoughts, and she smiled. Probably her mother, coming to check on her for the umpteenth time. Stowing the dress, in case she was wrong, since she wanted to surprise her friends, she took a seat on her bed before beckoning them in.

"Hi doll," he greeted softly.


	2. Chapter 2

No. Hadn't she just resolved she was done crying? But that was a Glitch phrase, her heart protested. Her Glitch, she thought heartbroken. Ambrose watched as her smile and the twinkling joy in her eyes sank away as he entered. She had been expecting someone else. Her mother, Rawr, or perhaps that irksome and meddlesome tin man. Logically he knew he wasn't truly desired or welcome company, but the part of him he knew to be Glitch urged him to stay until she was happy and smiling once more, even as his discomfort threatened to swallow him whole.

"I never really realized how big this palace was until you started avoiding me," he managed softly, taking a seat at the foot of her bed. Letting his guard down enough for her to see how much this fact stung. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise. Ambrose was here, in her room, unchaperoned... And he was hurt she had been avoiding him? "Your tin man is keeping watch," he smiled knowingly. "Eavesdropper," he shouted towards the door. Just beyond it could be heard Cain's soft cursing and stumbling as he backed away from the offending door where his ear had all but been pressed. She laughed softly, then suddenly stopped studying him with wide, cautious, tear-filled eyes. _Ankle-biters!_

Glitch," she whispered uncertainly, scarcely daring to believe it.

"Yeah Deeg, I'm here." Choking on a sob, she flung herself into him.

"Omigod," she whispered trembling through tears of relief "I thought I had lost you."

"Only for a little while," he whispered comfortingly, combing his fingers gently through her hair. "I'll always find my way back to you, I'm too stupid to know when to give up," he chuckled.

"But what about Ambrose," she asked lifting her head from his chest uncertainly.

"You call me whatever you want, doll. Doesn't matter I'm yours as long as you want me," he confessed, hoping she couldn't see his nervousness.

"But I don't..." she began confused. "Ambrose hates me."

"I beg to differ. No part of me could ever hate you." DG shook her head.

"I understand you know," she said softly, avoiding his gaze. "I didn't at first, but... It was all my fault, what happened to you, the kingdom.. If I hadn't left Az... If I hadn't died and my mother used her powers to save me.. Just because I fixed what I could now, doesn't change the past," she whispered sadly. "I did this to you," she choked, gently brushing back his hair to touch the zipper they had not been able to rid him of, a reminder of what he had suffered.

"Is that what you think?" What did one say to that? He had never for a moment believed such a thing, yet clearly she was convinced otherwise. "DG, the last time the restored part of my brain, the last time Ambrose had seen you, you were a _child_. You were limp and cold in your mother's arms. I wept over your body with her." And even then, I had to be sure not to cry so much as to give my heart away to all the other mourners, he thought. He felt his eyes watering once more at the memory, and all the emotions it conjured back up, and let them come, uninhibited, she needed to see them, that he cared. "I hated Azka-d for robbing the world, for robbing your mother, for robbing me of my little angel. I could never hate you. Last week it was like waking up from a great sleep. Suddenly I had all Glitch's feelings for the woman you'd become jumbled together in my head. I was confused, I never meant to hurt you."

"How was I supposed to feel Ambrose? I never let anyone get that close to me. I fell in love with you, and I thought maybe Glitch..."

"Not maybe, no question."

"..But as soon as you got a brain in your skull, you didn't want anything to do with me anymore. Only your witless half was foolish enough to care about me," he started to reply, but she didn't give him the opportunity. "I can't even be mad at you," she said softly, she started to caress his cheek, before pulling her hand away as though it had burned her. "This is exactly what you were worried would happen."

"Drat, and here I was rather hoping you were going to say that you couldn't be mad at someone so devastatingly handsome," he teased feigning disappointment. DG laughed in spite of herself, before shaking her head.

"Stop," she pleaded tearfully. Please Glitch, she thought softly, don't do this to me, don't do this to Ambrose-he can't love me. "I need to get ready for the party," she lied finally, hoping he would take the opportunity offered him for what it was, his cue to leave her to her thoughts. He didn't.

"I... We... We... We..." DG sighed, unable to bring herself to smack him, instead resorting to giving his shoulders a firm shake.

"I wasn't glitching," he protested defensively. "I was nervous. DG, we _need_ to talk about this. No one should be upset on their birthday,"

"Then perhaps you shouldn't come," she said rashly cutting his renewed monolog off midstream.

"DG I've alw-- What?" She shook her head stifling still more tears. He didn't know what to say to this, so he said nothing. This, he thought, shuffling his feet mournfully out the door, unable to look back at her now tear-stained cheeks and the bright blue eyes he cherished, must be what it was to feel heartbroken. How could he ever hope to get her to listen and believe him? How could she ever for a moment believe he didn't care about her, that anyone could help but to love her?

* * *

She couldn't cry anymore. Almost as soon as he had departed, looking miserably lost and dejected, she had scarcely wiped away the evidence of her heartache before her mother had sent an attendant to help her into her dress and with her hair for the evening. Though she still wasn't used to or comfortable with the idea of someone else helping her to dress and get ready, DG stood uncharacteristically still, and had anyone bothered to check they would have found her bright blue eyes a million miles away from the reflection that met them in the mirror. What on Earth had just happened, and what had she said that for?

* * *

Even his library and lab, which had once been a source of great comfort and sanctuary seemed to do little to quiet his soul. Then again, it seemed empty now without the little princess charging in as the Spanish inquisition, demanding to know what he was tinkering on now, and all but dragging him out for some sun and fresh air...

_"Ambrose?"_

_ "Yes Princess?" The young royal scrunched her nose in disapproval. _

_ "I wish you wouldn't call me that," she replied softly. He chuckled softly, stroking her hair where she sat comfortably reclined on his lap._

_ "It's only proper." DG let out an undignified disgusted sigh._

_ "I know, that's part of why I don't like it," she mumbled. He couldn't fathom what that could mean, but managed to catch a barely audible '__**only**__ proper.' Maybe she thought he was a stuffed shirt?_

_ "So what's the other part?"_

_ "I don't want to be a princess. I don't want to be queen. I want to be normal."_

_ "Normal? What on Earth would possess you to wish to be normal?"_

_ "Aren't you normal, Ambrose?"_

_ "I certainly hope not." DG studied him puzzled. "You're mother would have very little use for my advice or my inventions if I were."_

_ "Oh," she blushed embarrassed. "Well, I still don't want to be a princess or queen," she declared._

_ "No?"_

_ "No," she replied firmly. "I'm not allowed to do anything I want." This was news to Ambrose, what could the queen's angel possibly want for that couldn't be given to her. It was truly miraculous the child was not spoiled into rotten petulance, but this role seemed to have fallen upon the shoulders of her elder sister._

_ "Like what for example?"_

_ "Ambrose are you a prince," she blurted suddenly, lifting her head from where it had been resting on his chest._

_ "No, I'm afraid not, doll." The young girl's gaze rose to meet his, puzzled. "I'm sorry, I..." he began immediately, realizing he had forgotten himself, his place.._

_ "No, it's okay. I think I like that. Better than princess or your highness, anyway."_


	3. Chapter 3

Somewhere along the line he had colossally fucked up. At least, he thought that was the proper use of DG's word. Not that he could recall with any sort of clarity what had brought about this fall from good graces, his brain though restored, seemed now to be lagging in bridging the gap between the two halves. One moment, in younger days, she had thought the world of him, he could do no wrong, and the next... Well, you flick the abacus.

Someone was pounding on the doors to his quarters, but Ambrose was too lost in thought to register which voice was calling his name, only that it wasn't the one he most wanted to hear. It wasn't hers.

"Ambrose? Glitch?"

* * *

_ "Glitch?"_

_ "Hi," he replied mechanically, continuing to stare unseeing at the marble floor, his beat up shoes, and tattered clothes. He would be fitted with new duds soon enough, to be sure, it did not do to have the queen's most loyal advisor in such attire, but for now he couldn't be parted ways with his rags besides to wash them. "Oh, Hi DG," he said only slightly brighter as she took a seat beside him on the long spiraling stairs._

_ "You okay? You seem out of sorts."_

_ "Just thinking," he sighed._

_ "You'll have more brains to do that with tomorrow," she offered cheerfully._

_ "Yeah."_

_ "Aren't you excited?"_

_ "No..Yes... I'm scared DG."_

_ "Of the surgery?" Well, one could hardly blame him. Afterall the last time he'd gone under the knife he'd had his brains ripped out and woken up with a zipper._

_ "Of forgetting."_

_ "Oh, but you won't forget. This will help you to remember, Glitch."_

_ "How can you be so sure?"_

_ "How can you not be? This is what you've been waiting 15 annuals for. Besides you're supposed to be the optimist." Glitch merely shook his head._

_ "What if Ambrose isn't an optimist. I was connected with him to shut down the machine. He seemed so uptight and boring, and he won't remember you like I do." DG wanted to ask how it was he remembered and thought of her, but that wouldn't really help to quell his fears about his upcoming surgery. Maybe later, she determined._

_ "What if I cloaked them in magic? That way if you forget they can come back to you later."_

_ "You can do that," he brightened, looking cautiously hopeful. DG didn't have the first idea in the O.Z. or the Other side how her mother had protected her memories, but Glitch had given her so much, sacrificed so much, he deserved this chance to be happy, however fleeting. So she smiled softly, taking hold of his shoulders and gently pulling him nearer to her. With infinite delicate care, she brushed back his hair behind his ear and leaned in to whisper into it. So maybe it wasn't a spell, but just maybe her light, her feelings for him could provide some protection for his memories._

_ "I don't care if you come out of this with no brains at all, you have more heart than anyone living, let it remember for you when all else fails--that I will always love you, and as long as there's a breath in my body I will never stop reminding you of it."_

_ "Thanks DG," he smiled softly._

_ "You don't believe me," she replied hurt, and for a moment she wondered if perhaps he had glitched and thanked her purely on instinct for the hug._

_ "Of course I do. You care about all of us-Cain, Raw, Azka..."_

_ "No Glitch," she interrupted gently, putting a hand on his chest to stop him. His gaze dropped to it uncertainly. "I do care about all of you, but in different ways. Cain is like another father to me, and Raw is like the younger brother I never had.."_

_ "And me," he prompted, nervously fidgeting with his frayed coattails. She smiled._

_ "I love you the way Cain loved Adora--I would do anything to protect you, turn over the O.Z. and Other side to find you. Like my mother loves my father--I would wait lifetimes to be with you."_

_ "Lifetimes," he repeated softly._

_ "Well obviously, I'd prefer not to, but if I had to..."_

_ "You like me-like me?" She couldn't help but laugh at this, but on seeing his sinking face, realized he didn't understand what could be so funny, stopped._

_ "I love you-love you," she corrected beaming at him. For a moment he simply stared nonplussed and she was afraid she had lost him again._

_ "Are you sure you haven't lost your marbles?"_

_ "Absolutely," she grinned, chuckling softly, and before he could say another word her lips were pressed to his. When they finally pulled apart she wrapped her arms around him, snuggling into his chest in a different sort of hug than they or Glitch could ever remember sharing with anyone before. DG sighed contentedly, hugging his tighter, never wanting to let go._

_ "Ditto," he whispered smiling, combing his fingers gently through her hair._

* * *

How could he have forgotten? DG had... There was no spell, he realized stopping mid-pacing. She wouldn't have had any knowledge of such magic in only a few years in youth and a day under Toto's tutelage. She had been trying to make him feel better. Suddenly the full significance of her sacrifice sunk in. She didn't know any spells like that. She had given him her heart, and the courage to go through with the surgery he had been waiting 15 years for--with no reassurances he would even remember her when it was finished.

* * *

_ The leather straps were cool, but somehow it felt as though they were burning into his skin, his heart stopping with each click as they tightened his restraints and raised the table. He couldn't find an ounce of excitement for the idea anymore. This felt familiar. Scary. The last time this had happened he had been terrified. The last time this had happened... Glitch felt tears pouring from him, but couldn't bring himself to care enough to staunch them._

_ "DG," he whispered shakily. Yes, he thought, DG, I have to do this, for DG. Be brave Glitch, be brave. He was still shaking. "DG, I'm scared," he confessed to the ceiling._

_ "It be okay Glitch. Doctors nice, fix you. DG come see you after."_

_ "Can't she be here now," he whined softly, whimpering at the cool sting of a needle being pushed into his arm. Raw took his hand in his, shaking his head._

_ "I help you relax, Doctors help you sleep. We fix you. DG come see you when you wake up. Not long. Relax, it be okay this time. Nobody bad here."_

_ "Nobody bad..." he repeated softy, feeling his eyelids becoming steadily heavier._

_ "Sleep," a distant voice commanded._


	4. Chapter 4

_ "Glitch?" DG whispered softly, sunlight streaming in through her window, assaulting her tired eyes. The warm body she had fallen asleep beside the night before had been thoughtfully replaced with a pillow, but was no substitute. "Glitch," she tried again, sitting up to look about the room. A rustling of parchment attracted her attention to the bereft opposite side of the bed. Where a small note, tied together with a strange and beautiful glowing stone on a silver chain greeted her._

_**Hey Doll,**_

_** Remember this? Yeah, me neither. Your mother gave it to me yesterday. She says I made it for you when you were little, and you used to love it, though she never did figure out what it did or how to use it. I can't remember either, but I'm sure if anyone can, you can figure it out. Or maybe I will after surgery... Either way, waking up next to you this morning is the best thing that has ever happened to me, even with the stuff I've forgotten. Hopefully next time I will remember it all by myself.**_

_**Love-Love**_

_**Glitch**_

_ She laughed, before bursting into furious tears. Damnit! She wanted to wake up before... To say goodbye, in case... No! She couldn't think like that. Glitch was coming back to her. The surgery would be a success, and Glitch would be able to remember, but a soft, insidious whisper echoed her deepest fears. But what if he doesn't, it taunted. What if he was right, what if Ambrose doesn't want you?_

* * *

DG found herself staring unseeing at her reflection in the mirror as the corset of her dress was being fashioned. Ridiculous fashion, but, she thought darkly, won't matter much, I can't seem to breathe anyway. _"Then perhaps you shouldn't come."_

Please Glitch, Ambrose, she corrected mentally, please, for once in your life, please don't listen to me.

* * *

_The door opened and DG jumped to her feet._

_ "How is he, can I see him?" If the surgeon found her concern and eagerness inappropriate or in any way amusing, he gave no sign of it. His expression was one impossible to read, and DG felt her heart plummet._

_ "He is okay, right," she asked slightly frantic._

_ "Yes, he will be fine. Please excuse me, there are some things I need to discuss with your mother."_

_ Why her mother? She was the one in love with him, who could be more important to speak to, she thought indignantly._

_ "He not know you love him DG. Ambrose very important to mother too," Raw whispered softly, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder._

_ "Raw," She sighed relieved. "Were you with him?" He nodded, smiling softly._

_ "Glitch very brave. Sleeping. He wants to see you when he wakes up."_

_ "Let them try and keep me from him," she laughed happily._

_ "He's alright then?" Raw nodded, before softly pulling her away from the crowd outside the doors to speak in confidence. "What's wrong with him? What aren't you telling me?"_

_ "Glitch and Ambrose apart a very long time. Need to learn how to work together again. Maybe not remember everything, might not remember new stuff, maybe old stuff..."_

_ "Oh god."_

_ "He will remember. Needs time. Patience." DG couldn't help but feel a little heartbroken. He mightn't remember her confession, their kiss, falling asleep in each other's arms while talking late last night... What if he never remembered?_

* * *

_ "Oh! Hello Princess," he said surprised, pulling the sheets up higher. DG forced herself to smile despite a breaking heart. Ambrose, she thought sadly. "Sorry, you never much cared for me calling you that when you were younger either," he half smiled at her as she pulled a chair to the side of his bed. "Habit I suppose."_

_ "Only proper," she muttered softly. As soon as the words had left her mouth, she halted. She had said them before. She could not have said when, but she was certain of it. It felt too familiar to her tongue and ears not to be true. The evil witch was gone now, the suns and queen restored. There was no more threat. So why can't I remember everything, she thought, wrinkling her brow in frustration._

_ "Something wrong," he asked concerned, sitting up carefully to look at her._

_ "No," she replied shaking her head. "I don't think so, just thinking." He nodded, continuing to watch her, frowning slightly. She was unhappy. She was putting up her best efforts to hide it from him, but even after all these years he could tell, could read her as easily as one of his books. Now if only he could figure out what was distressing her. He hoped rather than actually believed it could be something else, someone else, not him causing it._

_ "We were very close," he whispered softly. Her head shot up, betraying her, before it dropped again. 'were,' past tense. "You thought about sitting on the bed when you came in, but..." he explained, gesturing to the chair where she sat._

_ "I...Do you remember," she asked softly, voice shaky. Ambrose shook his head._

_ "I'm sorry," he whispered softly. He moved to take her hand in his, but she had already stood, shaking her head, not wishing for Ambrose' first new memories of her to be seeing her cry. The truth, heartbreaking as it was, was there was nothing to apologize for. This was never his fault. _

_ She had been the reason he had lost his brains, and now... Now when the opportunity for the kind of life, and love she had never dared dream for herself was in her grasp she had pushed it away. She had told him to go through with it. This was what he had wanted. What she wanted, wasn't it? No, he had nothing to be sorry for. If he never remembered what they had had, it was nobody's fault but hers._


	5. Chapter 5

The small stone glittered in her palm, through sinking sunbeams and her soft, silent tears. She wished she could figure out what it was for. Ambrose would never have given her a gift simply to look pretty about her neck; he was too brilliant, though she could not have said how she was so certain of this. _Focus DG,_ she could just hear Toto echoing. Ugh!

"DG?" She jumped, spinning on her heels towards the door and the intrusion.

"Cain! Don't you knock," she reprimanded, attempting to stifle her tears and recompose herself. The tin man shrugged.

"You would have let me in if I had? You look beautiful DG."

"Hmm… What if I had been undressed?"

"You weren't. I wouldn't have come in if I'd had any doubt of it. I watched the servant leave."

"You're very confident."

"And you would look all the better with a smile, Princess."

"Don't call me that. One person in one day is quite enough."

"We just want to see you happy kid. Nobody's earned that right more than you." She shook her head.

"He has, and just look what I've done to him," tears renewed as she flopped miserably onto the edge of her bed. "Terribly inappropriate, by the way.. Your being in here.. Unsupervised. People might think we're lovers."

"No one in their right mind, or living under this roof," he chuckled.

"I told him to go away," she sobbed suddenly, as the tin man took a seat beside her. "I told him not to come tonight," she whispered fearfully. Cain softly took her hand in his, squeezing it comfortingly.

"I know."

"But I didn't mean it!"

"I know."

I have never been patient. Never. Not in all my life or memories can I remember a single instance where I waited patiently like a good little girl. But this was different; at least I thought it was. A little waiting for a lifetime's happiness, surely even I could do that. I tried. I tired, but not hard enough. I didn't even make it two days. I missed him the moment I woke up and he wasn't sleeping next to me."

"DG I don't need to know…"

"We didn't sleep together," she corrected immediately. "He was scared, and we were talking and…"

"Doesn't matter if you did Kid, it's really not any of my business."

"I wanted to, but he said I deserved someone who could remember something that special. He could wait. So why couldn't I? He always was so patient with me, you all were, when I was trying to remember… And I've been nothing but unnecessarily sharp and cruel to him about it. I just… I..."

"Hey I told you once, didn't I? I'm going to keep telling you until you believe it—not everything is your fault Kid. Believe me I know it seems like it's easier to take all that on than admit you don't have any control, but that kind of thinking… It'll destroy you; consume you from the inside out. You love him, anyone could see it. It doesn't take Raw to feel it. It's in every look, every laugh, that special smile only he can pull out of you. It wouldn't be so hard, wouldn't hurt so much if you didn't care." She nodded softly, avoiding his gaze, instead picking up the necklace again in her free hand to examine it once more. "What's that?"

"I don't know. He left it for me, the morning of his surgery. Mother told him Ambrose made it for me when I was young. It's meant to do something, but I… He said maybe after the surgery he'd remember and show me, but…" A solitary tear slid down her cheek and fell on the stone before her confidant could wipe it away, and suddenly the small token began to vibrate and glow brilliantly before an image began to form, a projection of what was unmistakably the fields and orchards of the papay in their former glory days, and a young, petulant DG climbing one of its trees.

"_Princess? Princess!" A breathless Ambrose having finally reached her, seemed simultaneously relieved and horrified to have found her._

"_I would appreciate it if you would not call me that advisor." The young man sighed exasperatedly, but remained nervous as she grabbed a higher branch and began to search for a new foothold._

"_DG please don't. Come down from there."_

"_Have you come to yell at me as well then? Here to tell me more things a princess shouldn't do," she asked huffily, climbing still higher out of his reach. "Did mother send you to tell me not to climb trees, and play nice with Phil?" Suddenly the branch snapped and the young girl found herself tumbling down. It was too short a fall for a scream, but her eyes reflected rarely seen fear, mirrored and amplified in his as Ambrose raced to catch her. Landing with a thud in his arm, she clung to his lapels, burying her face in it, his expression softened as any thoughts of reprimanding her fled. Without shifting her in his arms, he sat down in the grass beneath the tree, gently stroking her hair._

"_Your mother was worried about you," she snorted disbelievingly. "But she was convinced you would come back when you were ready. You've been gone most of the afternoon, I was worried about you," the young man admitted softly. "I didn't mean to scold you, I was scared."_

"_I'm sorry Ambrose," she said sincerely. "I'm glad you where here to catch me." He smiled nodding._

"_Are you hurt?"_

"_No," she shook her head. "Thanks to you."_

"_I can't always be around to catch you, you know." She frowned slightly._

"_Do you have to go to Central City," she whined. He nodded softly, smiling as she hugged him. "I don't like it when you leave. Why do you have to go?"_

"_Your mother needs someone to tell her how the kingdom is doing when she cannot go see for herself. It's my job."_

"_Can't you take another job?" He chuckled slightly._

"_And just what do you imagine I'd do," he asked curiously._

"_I don't know, you could do anything," she replied frustrated. "You could make neat things more if you didn't have to be gone so much." _

"_So that's what this is about is it, more gifts?"_

"_No," she replied immediately, indignant. "You could teach me," she whispered softly, nervous._

"_That's Tutor's job." She grimaced. "I don't have any magic."_

"_No, but I'm not very good at magic anyway," she replied quickly._

"_That's why Tutor makes you practice." She gave him a look which clearly asked if he was done with his soapbox yet, and he shrugged smiling._

"_You could teach me how to fix and make things. Toto can't do that. Then I could make you nice presents too."_

"_You already give me nice presents," he replied smiling. DG wrinkled her nose. "I love your drawings and paintings."_

"_But they don't do anything special like yours do."_

"_They brighten up my rooms, make me happy and smile, and think of you every time I see them. I'd say that's pretty special."_

"_Maybe," she conceded._

"_Definitely."_

"_But I miss you when you're gone. Do you think if I gave mother my presents you could stay here more, with me?"_

"_I'm afraid not."_

"_I hate her."_

"_No you don't."_

"_No, but I hate that she makes you leave. I don't like being a princess. I don't want to marry Prince Phillip," she declared passionately._

"_Is that why you left?" She nodded emphatically. "DG your mother and father only thought you might enjoy playing with someone besides Az, someone your own age." DG shook her head._

"_He said he was going to marry me."_

"_Well I believe you do have some say in that matter," he chuckled._

"_That's what I told him!"_

"_Hmm… your mother seemed to think you were a bit more descriptive." She smiled slightly embarrassed._

"_I might have been," she admitted, grinning._

"_He's a handsome enough boy," he offered, only half trying to push the queen's ambitions for her youngest daughter._

"_Maybe, but he knows it. He's rude, and a fat-head. He thinks he's better than everybody else, but he's not. And he can't tell me what to do, what to think."_

"_No," Ambrose agreed, smiling. "He certainly can't."_

"_Anyway I told him I could never marry him," she declared happily, hugging him._

"_And yet another heart crashes and burns," Ambrose laughed. DG giggled, settling into his chest once more. The young girl whispered something too soft into his coat for him to hear or notice, but the older version watching the memory knew..._

"Because I'm going to marry you," Present-day DG remembered, whispering the little girl's words with surprise, as the image moved on to yet another memory.

"_Happy Birthday," Ambrose smiled._

"_It's beautiful," the young princess gasped, enamored with the stone necklace._

"_It's a PMRU, uh," the inventor amended quickly seeing her puzzled expression, Pleasant Memories Retrieval Unit was a bit of a mouthful. "It stores every happy memory, and when you are sad it can play them back for you to help cheer you up."_

"_I'm still not happy you have to go," she declared, folding her arms crossly. "What about my birthday? You promised you would dance with me. I've been practicing so I wouldn't have to stand on your toes this year."_

"_Your father will be there to dance with you." DG looked on the verge of tears. "Don't worry doll, I will be back before then."_

"_Promise?"_

"_Yes, so you better not go and meet some handsome young prince on me and fill up your dance card on me."_

"_Never," she swore, beaming._

"_Wouldn't miss your special day for the world, you're the only little lady crazy enough to want to dance with boring, old Ambrose," he chuckled softly._

"_You're not old. Or boring! And I won't be little much longer. I'll be six." He whistled._

"_Where does the time go?"_

"_Ambrose?"_

"_Yes doll?"_

"_I'll miss you," she whispered jumping into his ready arms and hugging him tight._

"_Me too," he smiled as he set her back down and mounted his horse. He was halfway down the road before she was chasing furiously after him. She did every time he left, yelling his name and waving, and suns if it didn't seem to get harder every time. He'd stop if he looked back now, into those mournful deep blue eyes. Stop and never be able to leave her. It was only in the telling himself that he left for her, to help her mother keep her world a safer, happier place that he could find any strength for it._

"_Anybody who wouldn't want to dance with you are the __**CRAZY**__ ones Ambrose! Crazy and Stupid!!" She yelled after him. Soft tears fell onto the necklace he'd helped to fashion around her neck, and suddenly images of her last birthday, of dancing or rather following his lead on his toes, smiling and laughing began playing out before her. But the youngest royal would not see her sixth birthday, not in the O.Z. anyway, would never be able to prove her improved skills as a dancer, and Ambrose for his part, would never take another partner._

"He'll come," Cain assured her gently as she fastened the chain around her neck. "Raw is talking some sense into him now. He'll be there."

"Cain?"

"Yeah kid?"

"Help me practice for the dance?"

"Well, I… I mean I'm not… Sure kid," the tin man smiled, helping her to her feet. "You bet."

……………………………………

"Open door Ambrose," Raw demanded, hammering on the door. Sighing heavily and pulling himself from his pacing, the inventor made his way across the room to open the door, greeting his visitor without much enthusiasm. Unperturbed Raw continued. "Party soon. Get dressed."

"I'm not going Raw."

"Have to." Ambrose shook his head.

"She doesn't want me there, Raw. She said it would be better if I didn't come," he said sadly, sweeping countless papers away to flop miserably into the seat at his desk.

"DG not mean it." Raw wanted to tell him more, but that was for them to discover and tell each other. "DG upset, sad if you miss her birthday."

"She's upset when I am around, Raw. Maybe she's right. Maybe it's better this way."

"Needs you. Tin man not want to see DG cry. I not like it either…" Damn viewer made a decent argument.

"I don't have anything to give her. I'll feel like an idiot if I don't bring a present. What kind of jerk goes to a party without a gift?"

"Not stupid. DG happy you come. Besides you make her present last week."

"Last week I was Glitch. It's not like the presents Ambrose... Well I guess I.. used to give her. It doesn't _**do **_anything," he replied disparagingly. Raw shook his head, following Ambrose to his room where he began to search for something suitable to wear.

"Not thinking. DG care about Glitch _and_ Ambrose. She not care. Glitch present tells her you both part care about her."

"I love her."

"Raw know. Get dressed. Bring gift. Dance with DG. Tell her what Raw feel here," he urged, pressing his hand over Ambrose' breast. Steeling himself, Ambrose nodded. "Wear red one," Raw added as he left, smiling happily. About time, the viewer thought.


	6. Chapter 6

"Happy birthday DG," he smiled nervously as he reached her to greet the hostess and youngest royal.

"Ambrose," she breathed relived, letting out a breath that was held by more than her corset, and smiling brightly. "Thank you," she curtsied politely, as the throng of guests pressed in on them, pushing the advisor forward, away from her. He had come, DG thought happily as she went through the motions with her other well-wishers and brownnosers, surely that was a good sign. She had smiled, surely that was a good sign, Ambrose thought puzzling it over.

"Very happy you came," Raw confirmed approaching the corner post he had taken up to watch the princess giving her polite greetings and thanks to her guests.

"I hope so," Ambrose replied absently. Raw nodded.

Ambrose watched as the crowd thinned, guests finding their niches, gossiping and chattering amongst themselves. Even Raw had now abandoned him in favor of Kalm. Tin man had Jeb, the queen-Ahamo, and Ambrose, Ambrose was once alone once more, an extension of the curtains and wallpaper he stood in front of. Or so he had thought…

Suddenly a small hand had wrapped about his wrist and yanked him backwards through the curtains and onto the terrace beyond. Tripping over the heavy drapes, he stumbled pin-wheeling in a futile attempt to catch himself before falling atop his assailant.

"DG," Ambrose managed stunned, staring down into her beautiful, surprised blue eyes. Oops, she thought blushing ever so slightly, not exactly what she'd been trying to do, but at least she had him to herself.

"Hi," she smiled nervously, wiggling out from underneath him.

"Oh, sorry," he apologized immediately, jumping to his feet and offering her a hand up.

"Not your fault," she shrugged softly. "Don't know my own strength I guess," she smiled slightly, watching him intently. She was waiting for something, watching him with baited breath, but stars if he knew what it was. Ambrose shuffled his feet nervously, dropping his head to momentarily avoid her intensity.

"I uh… um.. I know you told me not to come, but I…"

"I'm glad you did. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. It means a lot to me that you did."

"So I should make a rule of ignoring what you tell me to do," he joked with a nervous half grin, hoping to lighten things up. She laughed softly.

"Don't push it." He smiled.

"You look beautiful DG," he whispered softly, suddenly taking in her ruby red dress that caressed her usually hidden womanly contours.

"Good recovery," she laughed.

"I meant it," he insisted awkwardly.

"I know. Thank you Ambrose."

"It's still hard to call me that isn't it," he asked, trying to mask hurt. DG shook her head softly.

"It used to be. And I won't say I'm not still getting used to it, but you were always Ambrose, we just didn't know it then," she smiled softly, beckoning him to take a seat beside her on the stone bench. He followed her lead, but was surprised to find that her hand sought out and clasped his. Eyes slowly rising to meet her own, they fell irresistibly upon the stone that adorned her neck, then realizing what else was in that general vicinity and how inappropriate it might appear turned his gaze to her startlingly blue eyes once more. She smiled, seeming to know the entire exchange without any words needing to be said, and for a moment it was just as it had been before the two halves of the same whole, and half lives had intersected in one mind. He had missed that.

...

Glitch couldn't be sure what was happening. What brain he had seemed to be racing, frantic, discombobulated, so near glitching, and yet, held on to this moment and what sense and awareness he had of it like a drowning man to his last breath. Memories were pressing in on him. This was important. They had been talking. Sitting on the edge of her bed and discussing the surgery, the future, which inevitably had led them to their newly discovered relationship...

_"Glitch," she tested softly, when he had been silent for awhile, staring at their interlaced fingers. Had she lost him? Glitch shook his head, pulling himself from the memories that had resurfaced and assailed him._

_ "I lied to you."_

_ "About what? What are you talking about Glitch?"_

_ "I lied," he repeated shamefully. "When we met, well, in that cage in the Northern guild, I still can't remember the first time we..." he stumbled embarresed. "I lied," he repeated once more, sounding shocked by his own behavior. She was laughing now, and for the life of him, Glitch could not account for what could be some amusing to her._

_ "That's what you're upset about?" Glitch couldn't force his mouth to speak, he felt silly, instead frowning in response to her perplexing smile, he nodded. "Oh Glitch," she soothed, smiling softly, cupping his face in her hands to pace a chaste kiss on his cheek. Glitch blushed slightly, stuttering for a moment, but plowed on._

_ "I said that I knew the way-to central city. But, I lied. I was only hoping that I might remember once we got out of there. I didn't want to be there when the long coats showed up, or those little ankle-biters got bored with me."_

_ "Glitch, I wouldn't have left you there. Even if you didn't know the way." _

_ "Why?"_

_ "What?"_

_ "Why not? You didn't know me, I didn't even know who I was."_

_ "The long coats had just tired to kill my-well, the people who cared for me."_

_ "The 1487 series, 'Nuture units.' Hey, I think I made those..." Glitch shook his head, forcing with all his might to put himself back in the moment. "But you still didn't know me, DG. I could have been a long coat, one of the bad guys.." She smiled at his pronouncement of "bad guys," so Glitch-like. Meanwhile her head was spinning. Why had she saved him? Looking back at it now, it seemed rash, even foolish, a dangerous gamble. She had been lucky. Or had she?_

_ "You know, I know you're getting the rest of your brain back tomorrow, and you'll be an old man, and too grown up to have fun with me," she teased, as he winced. "But lecturing me on not going headlong into stuff is usually Cain's job. Besides it worked out for the best, would you rather I had left you there?" Glitch shook his head and for a moment the pair lapsed back into silence, DG still thinking hard. _

_ "You knew me," she gasped happily, remembering. It was once again Glitch's turn to look puzzled, as he shook his head. "You did," she insisted excitedly. "You called me doll, mother and Az said that was your nickname for me because I refused to let you call me 'princess.' "_

_ "I might well have called every woman or girl doll," he offered skeptically thinking, hard._

_ "Maybe, but you called me doll," she insisted stubbornly. "Just like in my dreams."_

_ "You dreamed about me?"_

_ "On the other side. You didn't have the zipper though, I think that's what threw me. You called me DG too," she remembered suddenly. "When I was trying to escape, and you were yelling at me to come back before I hurt myself."_

_ "You could have been hurt."_

_ "You were worried about me. You knew me." Glitch still looked doubtful, but DG just smiled, gently pulling him down to her for another kiss. "Besides you have too much hair to be a long coat," she smiled happily, running her fingers through his dark, beautiful curls._

_ "Didn't stop furry lips from assaulting me with that wrench." Both collapsed back onto the bed laughing. DG rolling into him, and pressing her body into his. Glitch wrapped his arms around her reflexively, and with great tenderness._

_ "Love you-love you," he whispered happily, kissing her forehead._

...

"I figured it out," DG smiled victoriously, interrupting his thoughts, and taking the stone in her fingers.

"I knew you would," he smiled happily, but then frowned. To have conjured up any images stored within it would require profound sadness.

"I haven't been very fair to you since the surgery," she whispered softly, regretfully.

"It's alright," he soothed. She shook her head.

"No Ambrose, it's not. You were right, I was a no more than five and dead the last you could remember, you didn't have feelings for me, and it wasn't fair of me to expect you to, or that things might pick up just where they left off with Glitch. We were friends once; I don't want to lose that too."

"Oh DG," he whispered softly.

"No, I don't want you feeling sorry for me," she said shaking her head, and squeezing his hand tighter.

"I don't know what to say," he admitted. DG dodged his eyes once more, pretending to be studying the night sky. Time to risk sounding foolish, he thought, gathering every ounce of his courage. "DG, I could never have imagined the wonderful young woman I've come to know since then. I never understood why you wanted to spend so much time with a stiff shirt like me. It scared me then, it has terrified me now."

"What," she sputtered confused.

"One day, I knew, you were going to find someone else. Someone younger, better looking, someone worthier of you than I could ever aspire to be. I never had any delusions of grandeur. I knew I was no prince, but for that moment in time, those younger years, you were mine, and I loved it. Pulling my head out of my ass and out of my lab when I got too caught up in work to remember to play and have fun, the only one who laughed at all my stupid jokes, someone who understood me perfectly with all my flaws and liked me anyway. People needed me, but nobody had ever really wanted me; every ball and function was the same: no one to talk to, nobody to dance with, not until you. I didn't know what it was, couldn't understand it, and I hated that, it scared me. I still worry your neurons are misfiring," he said half smiling. DG shook her head frantically, staring in disbelief. Could he really be saying what she thought he was? "I might not always have been in love with you, but I have always cared a great deal about you DG. I can't imagine the rest of my life without your friendship. I shudder to think what I might have done with these past 15 annuals if I had remembered what I had lost." DG felt her heart sink ever so slightly. Friendship. Well, something was always preferable to nothing. "I want more than that. If you're crazy enough to want it too," he offered nervously, her head snapped up once more with such ferocity, he worried she might injure herself. "Glitch left this for me to give to you," he whispered softly, pulling a silver ring set with a small sapphire from his pocket.

"He said…" she whispered stunned shaking her head in awe.

"That it wouldn't be fair to promise you something he couldn't be sure he entirely wanted," he supplied for her. "I'm here doll, all of me, and I love you, DG. I've never wanted anything more, been more certain of anything, but if you don't want…Ouch!"

"I had to be sure you weren't glitching," she shrugged embarressed, pulling her hand back from his cheek.

"I had my brains put back in!"

"Exactly! How could you possibly think I wouldn't want you?" She was crying again.

"What did I do," he asked confused by the sudden waterworks. She shook her head beaming at him.

"Made me the happiest girl in the other side & O.Z.," she whispered, gently pushing the ring onto the proper finger. This time when her lips met his, Ambrose didn't hesitate, pulling her taut against his chest and kissing her as though she were his very oxygen.


End file.
